Gail Stenhouse, Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline
Geography at S1 and S2

5 - 14 Levels D/E

S1 and S2

Using all forms of ICT including the Internet, spreadsheets and databases and subject-specific software allows Gail to present Geography in a variety of teaching styles. Pupils without computers at home are catered for within school.

More information on Gail's joint work with William Paterson, Principal Teacher, Computing

is to be found in the April 2002 newsletter.

Aims and impact of the work

To enhance teaching and learning, the Geography Department at Queen Anne High School is currently attempting to increase the use of ICT within S1 and S2.
Tables 1 and 2 show suggested uses of ICT in the current S1/S2 course. These activities aim to both extend the pupils' knowledge and understanding of concepts and develop their enquiry skills, at appropriate levels. The samples of work on display are from this area of the curriculum.
Practical hands on experience for pupils in the classroom using a computer has been severely hampered by the Department's current hutted accommodation, which does not allow Internet access as we are awaiting a move into our new school building. Where pupils have access to a computer they work mainly individually e.g. word processing, or on a group activity using a CD-ROM, such as an interactive atlas.

Current plans look towards an improved situation in the new school, next year. Much of the material on display was completed by pupils at home, after drafting and doing group work in class. It does demonstrate the high standard of IT skills possessed by some S1/2 pupils and the high degree of motivation this medium can generate. Care is taken that pupils who do not have computer access at home are not penalised. In a survey of a sample of 71 S1 pupils, last year, it was found that 86% of these pupils had a computer at home.

In addition, the Staff has also been extending their IT skills. These can range from gathering up to date information from the Internet for class work, producing resources and materials for pupils, to making PowerPoint presentations. The PowerPoint presentation on display was used at a Primary 7 Parent's Night, to inform parents of the S1 course. Now that the Department has a data projector, it is hoped to use more presentation packages for whole class lessons to encourage more effective teaching and learning.

Table 1

S1 Course Outline

Queen Anne School Geography Department
Units
Main Topics Covered
Possible Uses of ICT

1.

Introducing Geography

Geography in the News;

What is Geography;

Making a treasure island map;Continents and Oceans- country outlines, map projections;

Using the atlas - physical and political maps;

Our continent - EC countries, capitals and other continents;

Our country - mapping towns in Britain - Britain's relief -contours on OS maps;

Using 4+ 6 figure references;

Using compass points;

Using scale- straight line - by road- large + small- ratios;

Using latitude and longitude.

Use of Internet for homework

Use of Interactive Atlas CD

Use of Europe in the Round CD

Production of web pages from Internet web sites in computing about maps or weather

2.

Weather

Elements of the weather;

Weather extremes e.g hurricanes, avalanches

Keeping a weather record;

Forecasting the weather - instruments, satellite photos, synoptic charts, anticyclones and depressions;

Dunfermline's climate - climate graphs;

Causes of Britain's climate and the wider world

Internet data eg. BBC weather - www.bbc.co.uk/weather/

Use of Internet or copy master weather satellite photos eg..METEOSAT -

www.nottingham.ac.uk./ meteosat/

Use of computer for word processing/generation of symbols for group forecast

Possible PowerPoint presentation

Possible use of spreadsheets to create climate graphs

3.

Town and Country

Rural and urban landscapes- physical and human features;

Scottish farming-distribution, types, features of;

An investigation of a Scottish sheep and arable farm;

Settlement study- class. of local settlements, services and communications;

How settlements grow;

Case Study -Greater London, growth, features, functions, transport;

Case Study- Italy;

Mapping physical and human features;

Living and working in Italy-north and south contrasts.

Internet research eg. NFU -

www.nfu.org.uk/education/ farmstud.shtml

and FAO -

www.fao.org/

Word processing of project producing text, graphics, climate graphs, scanning photos (at home)

Europe in the Round CD

 

Table 2

S2 Course Outline

Queen Anne School Geography Department
Units
Main Topics Covered
Possible Uses of ICT

1.

Earth Forces

The Earth is unstable;

Volcanoes - features of;- Mount Etna- benefits of

Location of volcanoes/earthquakes and why including plate tectonics

Volcanic landscapes in Edinburgh;

Causes of Earthquakes;

Indicators of development;

Investigation of El Salvador earthquake, January 2001;

Processes which create landscapes eg work of rivers, ice, sea, wind and how they shape the land;

Features created by the sea on east coast of England;

Homework research using Internet site e.g. Volcano World -

http://volcano.und.nodak.edu

Use of Violent Earth CD

Internet search at home of sites eg.

http://geology.usgs.gov ,www.gsrg.nmh.ac.uk/gsrg.html

The Times Relief SiteWord processing of text, graphics, graphs scanning of photos at home.

Geodome Landforms CD

2.

Environment Matters

Concern about the environment;

Measuring the quality of environment;

Protecting Antarctica;

Protecting the countryside- National Parks, Country Code;

Tourism in Costa Del Sol;

Mediterranean climate;

Environment matters project-deforestation, water pollution, soil erosion, over population,Protecting wildlife;

Use of Internet sites for information e.g.WWF Global Network -

www.panda.org/home.htm

Rainforest Alliance - www.rainforest-alliance.org/

Computer generated graphics for postersPossible PowerPoint presentation

3.

Contrasting Lands

Sparsely and densely populated areas in world and reasons for;

Location, climate, lifestyle in tundra, desert, rainforest;

Egypt a developing country - population, lifestyle, Cairo problems of growth;

Global tours investigation- Journey to Japan;- location- climate- life in the country and city- industry and development

Use of Interactive atlas CD

Internet research at home -Kid's Web Japan-

www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/index.

CIA World Fact Book-

www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Lonely Planet Online -www.lonelyplanet.com/Yahoo

Regional Countries -

www.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/index.html

 

5 - 14 Focus
Secondary Focus